Wheel, whirl and catch toy

ABSTRACT

A novel toy including a wheel and a control handle supporting a roller, the roller engaging the circular periphery of an inner edge of the wheel when rolling the same along the ground or when twirling the same in the air so to cause the same to be thrown therefrom and recaught thereupon, the wheel including a plurality of openings each of which designates a different score if the roller engages the same upon recatching the wheel.

United States-Patent [72] Inventor PauIROBrien 2,953,378 9/1960 LaVeigne 273/l06(2) 4640 N. Broadway, Indianapolis, Ind. 3,176,673 4/1965 Dill 273/96(B)X [2'] A I N 323 1 FOREIGN PATENTS pp. 0. [22] Filed sept 10l968 379,385 6/1922 Germany 273/100 [45] Patented Apr.20, 1971 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham [54] WHEEL, WHIRL AND CATCH TOY 8/1958 Schmiege Assistant ExaminerMarvin Siskind An0rneyWo0dard, Weikart, Emhardt & Naughton ABSTRACT: A novel toy including a wheel and a control handle supporting a roller, the roller engaging the circular periphery of an inner edge of the wheel when rolling the same WHEEL, WHIRL AND CATCH TOY This invention relates generally to rotating toys.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a novel toy which includes a wheel and a control handle having a roller for engaging the wheel.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel toy wherein the wheel has an inner peripheral edge for engaging the roller when the wheel is moved along the ground or when the wheel is twirled around the roller in the air and then thrown therefrom.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a novel toy wherein the wheel is provided with a plurality of openings in the rim thereof, each of the openings having a different score designation which is attained by catching the thrown wheel with the roller engaging one of the particular openings.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a novel toy which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and efficient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawing wherein:

H6. 1 is a side elevation view of the wheel which comprises a member of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the control handle which comprises another component of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the present invention in operative use.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the reference numeral represents a wheel, whirl and catch toy according to the present invention wherein there is a wheel ll and a control handle 12.

The wheel 11 comprises a circular, single member which may be stamped out of metal material or which may be molded from plastic or the like, the wheel including a rim 13 being bounded between an outer peripheral edge 14 and an inner peripheral edge 15. As shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing, the rim includes a plurality of circular openings 16 therethrough and a plurality of arcuate slots 17 extending therethrough. Numerical indicia 18 may be imprinted adjacent the circular openings and arcuate slots for indicating a score value when the wheel is used in a whirl and catch game.

The control handle includes a handle member 19 which may be made either of solid wood or which may comprise a heavy wire member having a shaft rigidly secured to one end of the handle and extending transversely thereto. A roller 21 is mounted rotatably free upon the shaft 20, the roller having a central depression 22 between flanged ends 23. Appropriate washers 24, nuts 25 and a spacer 26 may be used in the mounting of the shaft to the handle and the mounting of the roller upon the shaft.

ln operative use, when the wheel is desired to be rolled along the ground, the child may impart directional drive to the wheel by placement of the roller adjacent the inner edge 15 of the wheel and move the same horizontally so to keep the wheel rolling. When the wheel is intended to be used in whirl and catch game, the roller is positioned adjacent the inner edge 15 of the wheel and the child grasping the handle 19 then whirls the same so to give the wheel a twirling movement after which a slight askew movement of the handle will cause the wheel to fly off into the air. The child then attempts to catch the wheel again upon the roller as the wheel descends toward the ground. The child attempts that the roller will engage one of the openings or slots in the wheel rim thereby he will attain a score according to the indicia adjacent the particular opening that is engaged by the roller. This particular engagement for attaining a score is illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawing.

While the game may be played by one person, the same may be likewise played by several persons in competition with each other. The person or child with the highest score wins the game. Such game could comprise points or whatever goal is desired.

While various changes may be made in the detailed construction, it is understood that such changes will be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as is defined by the appended claims.

lclaim:

l. A toy comprising: a wheel being a circular, one piece member including a rim between an outer peripheral edge and an inner peripheral edge, said rim including a plurality .of openings of different size, said inner peripheral edge defining a central opening in said wheel, a control handle made up of a handle member, said handle member having a transverse shaft secured to one end of said handle, said transverse shaft supporting a freely rotatable roller thereupon, said roller having a central depression for receiving said wheel thereupon, said depression being bounded between flanges at each end of said roller, said roller being smaller in size than at least one of said openings in said wheel.

2. The toy of claim 1 wherein some of said plurality of openings are circular and others are arcuate. 

1. A toy comprising: a wheel being a circular, one piece member including a rim between an outer peripheral edge and an inner peripheral edge, said rim including a plurality of openings of different size, said inner peripheral edge defining a central opening in said wheel, a control handle made up of a handle member, said handle member having a transverse shaft secured to one end of said handle, said transverse shaft supporting a freely rotatable roller thereupon, said roller having a central depression for receiving said wheel thereupon, said depression being bounded between flanges at each end of said roller, said roller being smaller in size than at least one of said openings in said wheel.
 2. The toy of claim 1 wherein some of said plurality of openings are circular and others are arcuate. 